Springfield mayor wants delay on medical pot centers

SPRINGFIELD (AP) — The mayor of Springfield is recommending a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries until the city has time to plan how they’ll operate.

Mayor Domenic Sarno said Tuesday he’s instructed officials to study the zoning, public health and public safety issues. He’s also asked a city planning official to begin seeking a moratorium with Springfield’s planning board.

Massachusetts voters passed a ballot question last November that allows the use of medicinal marijuana for patients with certain medical conditions, such as cancer and AIDS. The law allows for as many as 35 dispensaries to open around the state.

Sarno said he wants to ensure that proper oversight is in place.

Several other communities are considering moratoriums or restrictions, but Attorney General Martha Coakley ruled that towns could not ban the dispensaries outright.